Can cities or municipalities set a different minimum wage in Oklahoma?

Name: 2017 Oklahoma Minimum Wage
Creator: DOL

No. Oklahoma law prohibits municipalities from establishing mandatory minimum wage rates that differ from the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

2017 Oklahoma Minimum Wage

The 2017 Oklahoma Minimum Wage is $7.25.

Hourly$7.25

Effective 2017-01-01Source: Oklahoma Department of Labor Wage Law and Administrative Rules (Oklahoma Department of Labor)Verified 2026-09-01

Compared with 2016

Every figure on this page is unchanged from 2016.

Item	2016	2017	Change
Hourly	$7.25	$7.25	+$0 (+0.0%)

Who it applies to

Oklahoma employers covered by state wage law.

What changed this year, and why

Oklahoma's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour for 2017, equal to the federal minimum wage. The rate was unchanged from 2016, when it was also $7.25 per hour.

Common questions

Can cities or municipalities set a different minimum wage in Oklahoma?: No. Oklahoma law prohibits municipalities from establishing mandatory minimum wage rates that differ from the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

When a city or county sets a higher minimum wage

Oklahoma's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, which matches the federal minimum wage. The state statute expressly prohibits cities, towns, and counties from setting a higher local minimum wage than the federal rate. This means that no municipality in Oklahoma—whether Oklahoma City, Tulsa, or a smaller town—can require employers to pay more than $7.25 per hour on the basis of a local ordinance. Employers operating in Oklahoma therefore face a single, uniform floor for hourly pay across the entire state, and workers cannot look to their city or county for a higher wage standard. If you believe your employer is paying below $7.25 per hour, or if you have questions about how this rule applies to your situation, you should direct those questions to the Oklahoma Department of Labor or the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, which enforces the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.

Municipalities may not establish mandatory minimum wage rates for employers to pay or grant employees that differ from the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
Oklahoma Department of Labor Wage Law and Administrative Rules (Oklahoma Department of Labor)

Overtime is paid at one and one-half times the regular rate

Oklahoma does not have its own state overtime law. Instead, overtime pay requirements in Oklahoma come from the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. If an employer is covered by federal wage and hour laws, that employer must pay overtime at a rate of time and one-half for all hours worked beyond 40 in a seven-day work week. This means that for every hour worked past 40 in a week, the employee must receive at least one and one-half times their regular hourly rate. Workers in Oklahoma should contact the U.S. Department of Labor to determine whether their employer is subject to federal overtime requirements. The Oklahoma Department of Labor does not enforce a separate state overtime premium; all overtime protections for Oklahoma workers flow from federal law. If you believe your employer has failed to pay proper overtime, you should reach out to the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division for assistance.

Oklahoma has no state overtime laws. However, if a company is required to comply with federal wage and hour laws, time and one-half should be paid to cover employees for all hours worked over 40 hours in a seven-day work week.
Oklahoma Department of Labor Wage Law and Administrative Rules (Oklahoma Department of Labor)

Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint

Oklahoma employees with questions about the minimum wage, or who believe they have not been paid correctly, should contact the Oklahoma Department of Labor. The Department's Oklahoma City office is located at 3017 N. Stiles, Suite 100, Oklahoma City, OK 73105. The office can be reached by telephone at 405-521-6100 or toll-free at 888-269-5353. The Department's website is www.labor.ok.gov. For questions that involve federal wage and hour laws, workers may also contact the U.S. Department of Labor toll-free at 866-487-2365 or visit www.dol.gov.

For more information… Oklahoma Department of Labor www.labor.ok.gov Oklahoma City 3017 N. Stiles, Suite 100 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 Telephone 405-521-6100 Toll Free 888-269-5353 Fax 405-521-6018 U.S. Department of Labor www.dol.gov Toll-free, nation-wide 866-487-2365
Oklahoma Department of Labor Wage Law and Administrative Rules (Oklahoma Department of Labor)

State minimum wage laws that give more than the federal rate

Oklahoma does not have a separate state minimum wage rate. The Oklahoma minimum wage is set at the same level as the federal minimum wage, which is $7.25 per hour. When both state and federal minimum wage laws apply to an employer, the employer must pay the higher of the two rates. Since Oklahoma's rate equals the federal rate, covered employers in Oklahoma must pay at least $7.25 per hour. The state legislature has occupied the entire field of minimum wage legislation, which means cities and counties cannot set different rates. Employers must comply with Oklahoma's minimum wage requirement if they meet the state's coverage thresholds. Workers in Oklahoma should contact the Oklahoma Department of Labor or the U.S. Department of Labor to determine which laws apply to their specific employment situation.

The Oklahoma minimum wage is equal to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
Oklahoma Department of Labor Wage Law and Administrative Rules (Oklahoma Department of Labor)

When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage

Under Oklahoma law, when tips, meals, or lodging are part of an employee's compensation, special rules apply to how the minimum wage is calculated. For employees covered by federal wage laws, employers may take a tip credit of up to $5.12 per hour against the minimum wage. This means the employer can pay tipped employees a direct wage of at least $2.13 per hour and count the tips received toward meeting the full $7.25 minimum wage obligation. If the employee's tips combined with the $2.13 hourly wage do not reach $7.25 per hour, the employer must make up the difference. Similarly, when employers provide meals or lodging, the reasonable value of those benefits may be credited toward the minimum wage, but only if the employee voluntarily accepts them and they meet federal requirements. Oklahoma workers who receive tips or non-cash compensation should verify that their total compensation meets or exceeds the minimum wage when all credits are properly applied.

For any employee falling under the jurisdiction of federal wage laws, the maximum tip credit against the minimum wage is $5.12 per hour. Employers must pay tipped employees at least $2.13 per hour and may apply tip earnings toward the balance of the minimum wage obligation.
Oklahoma Department of Labor Wage Law and Administrative Rules (Oklahoma Department of Labor)

What an employer may deduct from your pay

Oklahoma law allows employers to deduct money from wages under certain conditions. An employee must provide written consent before an employer may deduct wages from a paycheck, except for mandatory deductions such as tax withholdings. The written consent must comply with Oklahoma Administrative Code rules, which limit the scope of permissible deductions. Even with proper consent, deductions cannot reduce an employee's effective hourly pay below $7.25 unless the deduction is for a legally authorized purpose, such as the reasonable cost of uniforms furnished by the employer. Oklahoma workers should review all payroll deductions and ensure they have authorized them in writing. If unauthorized deductions have been made or if your pay has fallen below the minimum wage as a result of improper deductions, contact the Oklahoma Department of Labor for assistance.

Deductions can be legal, depending upon the circumstances. An employee must provide written2 consent before an employer may deduct wages from a paycheck, except for mandatory deductions including tax withholdings, etc.
Oklahoma Department of Labor Wage Law and Administrative Rules (Oklahoma Department of Labor)

Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower

Oklahoma's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. This rate applies to covered employers throughout the state, regardless of whether the workplace is in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, or any smaller community. The state law does not allow cities or counties to set a different minimum wage, so workers across Oklahoma are covered by the same $7.25 hourly floor. If an employer in Oklahoma pays less than $7.25 per hour to a non-exempt worker, that employer is violating the law. Workers who believe they are being paid below $7.25 per hour should contact the Oklahoma Department of Labor to discuss their situation.